General Tso’s Cauliflower

POSTED BY Renee | Mar, 02, 2018 |
Healthy General Tso Cauliflower

Fridays have always had a special day in my heart. Being younger it was the last day of tests, teachers and waking up early. As an adult, it was the last of paperwork, bosses and waking up even earlier. No matter how old you are, where you live, or what your bank account balance is, the Friday theme will always be the same: Good Food, Friends, and Relaxation.

Back in the day it usually contained a Papa Gino’s pizza and a Blockbuster movie with my mom. But every once in a while, we would have some people over and SPLURGE on Chinese. I can remember ripping open the staples of the brown paper bag and inhaling all the smells.  Then to be shoved to the side as my brother had his first pick. Can you guess what his favorite was… General Tso’s. For years my plate would only consist of a heaping pile of fried rice and Rangoons.

Cut to a few years later and I finally get to try this mysterious General Tso. The flavor was incredible. An intense combination of spicy and sweet and a sauce that stuck to the roof of your mouth (in a good way). As I got older and started to realize negative effects that fried chicken smothered in a salty sugary sauce has on my stomach, I decided to find a lighter option.

I grabbed some Cauliflower and Baby Bok Choy and went to work. After a few tweaks and many taste tests, I’ve nailed a recipe that not only has incredible flavor but isn’t going to leave you with that “food baby” feeling for hours after.

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General Tso's Cauliflower

A lighter version of your favorite Chinese take-out!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 225 kcal
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs Sesame Oil
  • 2 dried chilis I used Sanaam but you can use any kind you have on hand.
  • 1 Clove garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbs. Chili Garlic Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Low Sodium Tamari
  • 2 Tbs. Coconut Sugar
  • 1 Tbs. Cornstarch
  • 2 Cups Water

For the Cauliflower

  • 1 Head Cauliflower About 4 cups chopped
  • 3/4 Cup Flour
  • 1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
  • 1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 3/4 Cup Cashew Milk You can use any kind of plant based milk, I happened to have cashew on hand.

Baby Bok Choy

  • 6 Heads Baby Bok Choy
  • 1 Tbs. Sesame Oil
  • Salt & Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450. Take the head of cauliflower and cut into florets, keeping them as bigger, whole chunks. Combine flour, ginger, garlic, and milk in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the cauliflower and toss to evenly coat. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Mix the cornstarch and water to make a slurry, set aside. Heat the oil over medium in a large saucepan. Once hot, add the garlic and dried peppers. Saute for about a minute and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and whisk in the slurry. Lower the heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens(Discard the chili peppers). Brush the cauliflower with half of the sauce and return to the oven for another 10 minutes (30 minutes total of baking time).

  3. During the last 10 minutes, rinse the Bok Choy and slice in half. Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil. Once hot, add the Bok Choy cut side down and grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper. 

  4. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and toss with the remaining sauce. Feel free to top with scallions and sesame seeds for an extra flavor boost!

Recipe Notes

I baked the cauliflower to cut back on calories and fat. However, you can easily follow the same recipe but fry them for about 5 minutes in some oil and then toss with the sauce. This will give it a crispier texture.

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